The present invention relates to a control and signaling unit or to a signaling unit having a light-emitting element.
German Patent Document No. 298 00 780 describes a functional element for a signaling unit having a light-emitting element, the signaling unit being made of a front element and a mounting adapter for locking the functional elements into place. The functional element has a luminous means including a bayonet-catch type mount fixture. An incandescent lamp is used as a luminous means. However, it has the drawback of a service life that is shorter than that of other luminous means, such as of light-emitting diodes. The insulating enclosure is provided with circuit conductors, which are arranged using the (two-component injection molding) production method of MID [molded interconnected device] technology, as described in German Patent Document No. 298 0078.
Furthermore, circuit conductors have been applied using the heat-embossing method, as described in the company prospectus of the 3-D MID e.V. Forschungsvereinigung [Research Association] xe2x80x9cRxc3xa4umliche Elektronische Baugruppenxe2x80x9d [Three-Dimensional Electronic Modules] May 1998 , page 13.
It is generally known in signaling units, to use light-emitting diodes. Due to the lower luminosity in comparison to incandescent lamps, it has been necessary to use several, however, at least two light-emitting diodes.
An object of the present invention is to devise a control and signaling unit, or a signaling unit, having a light-emitting element, which is inexpensive and uncomplicated to manufacture.
The present invention provides a control and signaling unit or a signaling unit having a light-emitting element, comprised of a front element and a mounting adapter for locking the functional elements into place, characterized in that only one light-emitting diode (3), including a diode crown (5) and connecting wires (4), is intergrated in the functional element (2), the diode crown (5) being embedded and retained in a receptacle (6), that the light-emitting diode (3) has an angle of radiation of 30-45xc2x0, that the light-emitting diode (3) has a luminosity of at least 0.5 candela, and that an electronic circuit is arranged on circuit conductors (11) secured to the inner housing wall of a housing half (1) and applied using a foil heat-embossing process.